


Nine Months

by bishop_deluca



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Babies, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Family Fluff, Fluff, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27012814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bishop_deluca/pseuds/bishop_deluca
Summary: Just complete fluff of married Marina and the journey to having their first child.
Relationships: Maya Bishop & Carina DeLuca, Maya Bishop & Victoria Hughes, Maya Bishop/Carina DeLuca, Maya Bishop/Victoria Hughes
Comments: 76
Kudos: 439





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Haven't written ff in a while but just needed some gross happy marina fluff in my life. Let me know what you think/anything you wanna see in future chapters! The first chapter is pretty short, but the rest will be longer. (ps let me know if the Italian is wrong, I literally used google translate lol)

Maya never saw herself becoming a mother. She never even really saw herself as the girlfriend type, let alone a wife. She had always believed she was more of just a hook up girl, a good time for the night, and now here she was, married to the love of her life, staring down at a stick on the counter with two bright bold pink lines. A flood of emotions washed over her. She was scared, anxious, excited as hell, but most of all she was happy; a feeling that was once so unfamiliar to her now a new normal.

She flinched as Carina wiped a stray tear that fell down her cheek. She hadn’t even realized she was crying.

“These are happy tears, I swear.” 

“I know.” Carina wrapped her arms around Maya’s middle and pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder.

“I just can’t believe we’re actually doing this.”

Early on in their relationship Maya and Carina had both agreed children weren’t in their future. They both had strenuous jobs and they were honestly happy with it just being the two of them. But as they grew together and their relationship healed their minds changed and now they would have a little one joining them in just eight short months. 

“What are you thinking?”

Maya flipped around so they were facing each other. She met Carina’s gaze with a watery smile.

“I don’t know, I’m overwhelmed.”

This time it was Maya wiping the tears from Carina’s face, “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that...I love you and I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I can’t believe we’re gonna raise a little bambino together,” Carina rambled, “and I’m wondering which one of us will be the strict parent.”

They both laughed and Maya pressed a soft kiss to her lips. 

“Definitely you,” she replied nuzzling their noses together. 

“And why’s that?”

“Because I’m a hard ass at work. So you can be a hard ass at home.”

Carina laughed in response but gave her a nod of approval. For the majority of her adult life her entire career had involved around expectant mothers but she never thought she’d be one herself. While she loved babies, she was never keen on having one of her own and she had spent so much of her life parenting her brother that by the time she had met Maya the idea was wiped from her mind completely. But now, here she was, so in love with Maya that they had a decided to create a little human together and she couldn’t wait to meet them and share it. 

Carina raised Maya’s shirt and bent down to place a kiss on her still flat stomach, “Ciao piccola, mamma ti ama già così tanto.”


	2. Chapter Two: Ten Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As the story progresses the chapters will get longer, promise! If there's anything you want to see specifically (or just any feedback in general), please let me know!

The first trimester came with a lot of challenges. While Maya didn’t look or necessarily feel pregnant she was constantly reminded that she was now growing another human being and things were going to change. She was reminded when she tried to do her normal strenuous morning work out and Carina refused to let her, she was reminded when Carina cooked pasta for dinner and she couldn’t have a glass of wine, but the worst reminder came in the form of her running to every bathroom, trash can, or bush in sight: morning sickness. She didn’t know why they called it morning sickness because she puked from sun up to sun down and one time in a fit of rage she had insisted to Carina that they change the name of it. 

Carina had been an angel through all of it. Although she was well aware of all of the ups and downs of pregnancy, she was enduring it all for the first time right along with Maya and she tried to be as supportive as she possibly could. If Maya was running to the bathroom or the nearest trash can, Carina was right behind her, holding her hair and rubbing her back, giving her soothing reassurance. One time they were in an aisle at target when Maya felt another wave of nausea and while Maya went into panic mode, Carina was quick on her feet; opening her bag and dumping the contents of it on the ground so Maya could vomit into it. Maya still felt awful about it and had made a promise that buying her a new one was the first thing on her to do list when she felt better. 

Maya knew that this was just apart of pregnancy and eventually it would pass but for now she was miserable. Her attempt to remain the same old Maya while inevitably changing into a brand new one was not only kicking her ass but winning.

Maya slumped over the toilet for what felt like the fiftieth time today. She had still insisted on going to work and had assured Carina she would stay in her office all day and do paperwork (although she spent the majority of the time running to the bathroom).

She leaned back against the wall, glancing down at her barely visible bump. “Is this really necessary?” She asked aloud. She could already hear Carina scolding her and telling her she told her so.

A knock at the door startled her and quickly snapped her from her thoughts.

“Hey Cap, you okay?” Came Vic’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Fine, thanks.” Maya replied hoarsely, hoping that was enough to make her go away.

Vic knew Maya well enough to know that "fine, thanks" actually meant quite the opposite. She gripped the door handle and attempted to turn it, “Okay, well, can I come in and check? I've seen you run in here like ten times today and you’re freaking me out.”

Maya groaned and slid over to unlock the door. She knew she wouldn't be able to get rid of Vic and she didn't feel like arguing with her from the bathroom floor. Vic's eyes widened upon entering the bathroom and witnessing the sight below her. Maya was a pale shade of green; her usually perfectly tamed hair tossed into a messy bun on top of her head, and dressed down to only her tank top.

“Wow, you look like-“

“Pregnant.” Maya blurted, another wave of nausea creeping up on her.

“Huh?” 

“I’m pregnant, Vic.” 

Vic blinked in shock as she attempted to digest the news Maya had just shared with her. “Oh my god. With....Carina, right?”

Maya groaned in annoyance and rested her head back against the cool wall. She was already regretting letting Vic come in to check on her.

“Of course with Carina! I’m sorry, I’m an idiot. What I meant to say was congratulations, mama!” Vic replied enthusiastically, attempting to lighten the mood a bit.

“Don’t call me that.” 

“Mommy...?”

“Vic, you have five seconds to get out of here or I'm gonna barf all over you.” Maya picked up the toilet paper roll sitting next to her and flung it in Vic's direction.

Vic quickly dodged the toilet paper roll as she ducked out of the door. While she knew Maya was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she knew she was also in no condition to be at work and needed to go home and rest. She pulled out her phone to text the one person she knew Maya would listen to: Carina.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Carina was frustrated with her wife. She had told Maya to take it easy and stay home from work, but Maya was still Maya and had insisted she would be fine just doing paperwork in her office all day. Instead, a few hours into her shift she got a message from Vic saying Maya hadn’t gotten off the floor and she was worried.

The two of them sat in silence, Carina doing work on her laptop and Maya sipping at the peppermint tea Carina had made for her while aimlessly scrolling through the television channels. Maya could feel the tension in the air and she couldn't take it any longer.

“I know you’re mad at me,” Maya blurted, looking over at Carina who was typing intensely.

“I’m not mad at you, Maya, I’m just frustrated.” Carina sighed and shut her laptop so she could give Maya her full attention, “I know you are determined to work and be on the go still but you have got to slow down.”

"I know." Maya knew Carina was right and she didn't want to fight with her, but she also just didn't know how to take it easy. This was the first time in her life she had ever truly had to slow down and not push through the pain or illness and it was going to take some getting used to. “I really did feel fine this morning, though."

“No you didn’t.” Carina said with a laugh, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. She knew her wife and she knew she hadn't been feeling like herself for some weeks now.

“Okay I didn’t, but I thought I could power through it. I’m sorry. I’ll try to take it easy.”

“Thank you.” 

Maya grabbed Carina’s hand and slid it under her tank top. Carina placed her hand over Maya’s small bump and caressed her skin gently. She did it the first time Maya got sick and it had quickly become Maya's favorite thing. Carina loved watching the progression of Maya’s little bump beginning to grow and Maya loved the intimacy of it. She didn’t know if it actually quelled her nausea or if it was all just mental, but she loved every second of it.

Carina continued rubbing Maya’s belly until Maya finally lulled to sleep. She smiled to herself as she watched Maya sleep soundly, her chest rising and falling with each breath. She loved watching Maya sleep; she looked so peaceful even though she was sick and it gave Carina a sense of relief to see her finally relax. She was so in love with the woman laying next to her she could barely contain herself and couldn’t wait for this rough patch to pass and start the next chapter in their lives.


	3. Chapter Three: Fourteen Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have re-written this chapter like five times and I'm still not totally happy with it but enjoy and let me know what you think!

Maya was officially out of her first trimester and finally feeling like a normal human being again, but of course with one change gone, new ones arrived. She had just started to show and her sex drive was through the roof: two things that were driving her nuts but made Carina very happy. Maya now struggled to get into her pants and all of her shirts were snug, but Carina absolutely loved her growing bump. She was constantly kissing and talking to it every chance she got (and even though Maya pretended to be annoyed, she actually loved it). Carina loved Maya's new sexual appetite, but Maya's horniness consumed her every thought. It had gotten to be so much that on multiple occasions, she left in the middle of the work day to go to Grey Sloan just to have sex.

Maya would take these new changes over living with her head in the toilet without a doubt, but she would be lying if she said she hadn't underestimated pregnancy. She got tired twice as easily, she was hungry all the time, and on top of that, her mind was constantly running with worries. She had kept them at bay because she didn't want to burden Carina, but they had both spent enough time in therapy to know that not talking about it wouldn't make it go away.

One night, after a long and horrible day at work, Maya finally broke down and shared with her wife how overwhelmed she was feeling. The next day, Carina came home with a solution: the gravity blanket. While venting to Amelia, she had not only suggested it but swore by it as a way to help Maya's stress. Maya was opposed at first, terrified she would break all of Carina’s bones, but after ten straight minutes of reassurance, she finally agreed.

This quickly became their new routine, and Maya dreaded the day when she would inevitably be too heavy to lay on top of Carina and they'd have to find a new solution. Sometimes they would gossip about their coworkers, sometimes they would just lay in silence, but they had also used this time to have a lot of heart to heart conversations.

Carina laid back on the bed, patiently waiting for Maya to finish changing. A few moments later, Maya walked into their bedroom dressed in a comfy pair of shorts and one of Carina's shirts. Carina patted on her chest and stomach, signaling for Maya to join her.

"Come to Mama," Carina said with a goofy grin.

Maya rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but smile at how cute her wife was. She carefully crawled into the bed and moved so she was directly on top of Carina. Carina snaked her arms around Maya and placed them directly on top of her belly. Maya covered Carina’s hands with her own and she exhaled as she settled against her. 

They eased into a comfortable silence for a few moments before Carina spoke, "Maya, I wanna tell you something."

In the past, a conversation starting with that phrase would've terrified Maya, but now, she didn't even flinch. "Okay, what's up?"

Carina ran her fingers along Maya's skin, "I'm scared too."

Carina was the better of the two of them at being open and sharing her emotions, but very rarely did she ever express being fearful. She was one of the most articulate people Maya knew, but in this instance, even she was having trouble expressing herself.

Maya sat with Carina's words for a moment as she decided how she wanted to respond.

"What are you scared of?"

Carina sucked in a breath and tightened her embrace around Maya, "I'm scared of dying before this baby gets a chance to know me."

The words came out so quietly, if Maya weren't lying so close to her she wouldn't have heard them. Her heart instantly broke, knowing that even though Carina never spoke much about her mother's death, it was still something that constantly affected her to this day. While they had both previously discussed the fears of the damages their fathers had done, Carina had kept this to herself. 

"That's not gonna happen."

"You can't promise that, Maya."

Maya ran her hands along Carina's. She could feel her heart beating underneath her and their breathing in time with one another. She wanted so badly to say the right thing, to make this fear and pain Carina had been sitting with go away.

"I can't, but what I can promise is that this baby will have two parents who would do anything for them, and that we'll both be here for them for a long time." Maya started, "But if—god forbid—that time is cut short, they'll always know how much we love them. They won't ever have to worry that they weren't good enough for us, or that they have to win awards, or have a big fancy to job to earn our affection. They will know that we love them more than anything else in this world and nothing could ever change that. That, I know for a fact."

Carina moved her hand to wipe a hot tear that fell down her cheek which made Maya's heart ache. Maya wanted nothing more than to erase the bad thoughts from Carina's head. She wanted to assure her that they would both grow old together and see their future children go off to college and get married and have children of their own. But she couldn't. Neither of them could.

"I love you so much. I'm sorry I'm crying, it's silly." Carina said, letting out a watery laugh. 

"It's not silly." Maya turned her head to press a soft kiss to Carina's cheek. "There's nothing silly about being scared. You're allowed to be scared. But you don't have to be scared alone, okay? And I love you too." 

Carina nodded, this time allowing her tears to fall freely. "You're going to be the best mama, you know that?"

"You will be the best mama. I'll be okay." Maya replied with a laugh. 

They went back to a comfortable silence, Carina humming to herself quietly as she got lost in thought. 

Carina's relationship with her mom had been complicated, but not a day went by that she didn't miss her. And as she got closer to motherhood, she wished now more than ever she could just have one more day with her to talk, laugh, and get advice. Her mother wasn't perfect, but she was her mom, and she promised herself she would take all of her best qualities to help her be the best parent she could. 

They laid in that position all night; Maya on top of Carina, their hands covering one another, while Maya felt the little flutters in her belly, reminding her of the life that was ahead of them.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

That weekend, they decided to take a trip to get their minds off of all of the stress and just relax. They spent the days lying poolside and tanning, Carina drinking piña coladas and Maya drinking virgin margaritas, and spent the nights in bed watching trashy reality TV shows, Carina getting worked up at how stupid the people were on Catfish and Maya laughing at how much she had gotten into the show. On their last night, Maya surprised Carina with her two favorites: drinks and dancing. 

Carina sat back on the bed and smiled as she watched Maya finished getting ready. She looked beautiful; she was wearing a tight black dress that hugged her small bump and showed off her cleavage (which now looked better than ever), and her long blonde hair was curled and cascaded down her back. Carina stared at her in awe and Maya caught her gaze in the mirror and met her smile, giving her a wink. 

At dinner, Carina drank a whole bottle of wine which thoroughly amused Maya. Carina loved a good white wine, and Maya insisted she treat herself to a whole bottle and enjoy herself since she couldn't. Carina was a bit of a lightweight; two glasses in and she was already buzzed. By the time she had gotten to the end of the bottle, she was nice and tipsy, which led to her being overly flirty and quite handsy. Maya was enjoying drunk Carina, especially since she was sober as can be, and knew that would work to her advantage once they got to the club.

/

Maya laced her fingers with Carina's as she pulled her onto the dance floor, a loud hip hop song blaring through the speakers. They both loved to dance, and no matter how far along Maya got, she knew that was one thing she wouldn't give up.

Maya went directly to the center of the dance floor and turned so her back was towards Carina. She started grinding her ass against Carina, and Carina wrapped her arms around Maya's waist to pull her in closer. Carina leaned down to kiss Maya's neck, dancing along with her to the song. Maya teased Carina, moving her ass back and forth to the rhythm as Carina nuzzled her nose against her skin.

When the song transitioned into the next one, Maya turned around so they were now facing each other and wrapped her arms around Carina's neck, brushing her nose against the brunette's. She could smell the wine on her breath and the naughty look in her eye told Maya they wouldn't be here for long.

"Better behave yourself," Maya warned, talking loudly over the music.

"I am always behaving myself," Carina replied with a smirk, "You're the one who needs to behave."

Carina tugged Maya in closer and wrapped her hands around her waist, sneaking one hand down to squeeze her ass. Maya let out a small shriek as she kept her face close to Carina's. She knew if they kept this up, they would need to go back to their room sooner than later.

Maya placed a kiss to her lips, their foreheads touching. Carina's eyes fluttered shut as they continued dancing to the music and Maya smiled as she took in all of Carina's features; her long eyelashes, her adorable button nose, her soft lips. She was completely in love with this woman and she couldn't believe she was all hers.

With each song change they continued dancing; Maya grinding on Carina and Carina grinding on Maya. Occasionally they would stop to make out, Maya giggling against Carina's lips as she attempted to stop her drunk wife from getting too handsy in public. 

This was the first time they had both truly relaxed in almost four months. They weren't worried about work or life or responsibilities, right now it was just the two of them, being crazy and having fun on the dance floor, which was exactly what they needed.

By the end of the night, they were both stumbling back to the hotel, Carina still drunk off the wine and Maya drunk off her wife. There was little sleep to be had that night and they were both perfectly okay with that.

The drive home was quiet and peaceful. Carina sat in the passenger seat hungover, while Maya drove. They held hands, sang along to the music, and promised to each other that they would continue talking, sharing their fears, and taking a lot more vacations together.


	4. Chapter Four: Twenty Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to add a Halloween chapter since it's around the corner :)  
> Next chapter could get a little angsty so enjoy the fluff for now!  
> See the end for more notes! (And once again, please forgive me if the Italian isn't 100% accurate)

Maya was now at the halfway point in her pregnancy. She was starving all the time, she’d get winded from climbing the stairs at work, and she finally had to cave and buy maternity pants. But she was now getting endless back and foot massages and got to spend more quality time with Carina, which were both welcome changes.

She was getting used to growing a human, and fell in love with each movement and each kick she felt. Carina and Maya had felt the baby kick for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The baby kicked like crazy these days, but went nuts the most for two things: when Maya ate cookies and cream ice cream and when Carina spoke in Italian. 

The first time it happened, Carina was on the phone with Andrew. They were arguing back and forth in Italian when Maya felt a huge thump on the side of her belly. Each time Carina spoke, the baby kicked and Maya interrupted Carina to grab her hand so she could feel. Carina quickly hung up in a fit of excitement, both of her hands flying to the spot where the baby was moving furiously. 

“Bambino piccolo! Ti trasferisci per mama?” Carina exclaimed, leaning down to talk to Maya’s belly.

That night, Carina hadn’t moved from that spot, talking to the baby until Maya finally convinced her that the baby had gone to sleep and she should too.

The baby moved and kicked all day long and Maya never in a million years thought she would be the type of woman who would enjoy this, but she absolutely loved it. So much so, it made her emotional if she thought about it for too long.

So the day the baby wasn’t quite as active as usual, Maya panicked. She was eating cookies and cream ice cream in her office when she realized the baby wasn’t going as crazy as it usually did. She tried not to overthink it, but when she had finished and the baby was still pretty quiet, she decided to leave and go to the hospital. She raced into Carina’s office and the brunette instantly knew something was off. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘢. was all she got a chance to say before Carina took her to the nearest exam room.

Maya laid back on the table and lifted her shirt. The silence that lingered in the room while Carina put the jelly on Maya’s stomach was loud and uneasy and Maya could feel her heart racing. Carina put the transducer on her abdomen and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the baby.

“What? What’s wrong?” Maya asked, still in a panic.

“Baby’s sleeping, Bella.” Carina replied softly, pointing to the screen where their baby's face appeared. “That’s it. Just taking a nap.”

Maya watched Carina as examined the screen. She continued moving the transducer across her abdomen and pressed the buttons to get different views. The way Carina was chewing on her lower lip told Maya she had seen something she wasn't supposed to.

“You saw what it was, didn’t you?”

At the beginning, they had both agreed that they would wait until the baby was born to find out the gender, wanting to keep some sort of surprise. They had looked away during ultrasounds and swore the tech to secrecy each time. However, with Carina doing this ultrasound herself, she was able to tell right away.

“Do you wanna know or do you want me to keep it a secret?” Carina asked as she bit back a smile.

Maya knew that Carina would either accidentally slip and tell her or Maya would drag it out of her eventually, so there was no point in keeping it from her now. “Just tell me.”

“It’s a girl.” Carina grinned, a wide smile spreading across her face. 

“It’s a girl?!” Maya confirmed and Carina nodded excitedly before leaning down to press a kiss to her lips.

All they wanted was a healthy baby, regardless of the gender, but hearing it was a girl made Maya even more excited. While Maya definitely had her own anxieties about raising a girl, the excitement outweighed her worries significantly. 

Carina printed out the pictures from their impromptu ultrasound and handed them to Maya. They were already so in love with this little human. Maya brushed her thumb over the black and white print in awe. She hoped her daughter would be beautiful and smart and kindhearted, just like Carina. 

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

As Halloween approached, Maya and Carina planned for probably their quietest holiday yet. Usually, they would get dressed up (not in couples costumes 'cause that was way too cheesy) and attend the parties at the station and the hospital, but this year Maya was tired and they wanted their alone time so they settled on a quiet evening in.

Carina didn’t want the night to go to waste completely, so she came home from her shift with a fun activity: paint. She insisted that baby girl had to get dressed up for her first Halloween, even if they didn’t. 

Maya was loving this new side of Carina and couldn't wait for all the fun things they would do with their daughter in the future.

Carina set the paint and brushes on the table and a picture of a pumpkin pulled up on her phone to draw from. Maya sat at the kitchen table in a sports bra and shorts and Carina kneeled between her legs, a paintbrush in hand. Carina dipped the brush into the orange paint and started brushing small strokes across Maya’s belly.

“I can't believe we're here, in our kitchen, painting my pregnant belly as a pumpkin for Halloween instead of dressing up and going out with our friends.” Maya said aloud, shivering a bit as the paint touched her skin.

“Si, it is very different from our usual plans.” Carina said as she continued painting.

"This is our new normal." Maya laughed, sitting back in the chair. "Did you ever think we'd be here?"

Carina dipped her brush back into the paint and stirred it around. Maya smiled to herself at how adorable it was that Carina was so focused on painting perfectly.

"Truthfully, I had hoped."

Maya raised an eyebrow in question, "You said you didn't want kids at the beginning."

"I didn't, at first." Carina replied with a shrug, "But the more I fell in love with you, the more I did."

Maya's heart swelled at Carina's answer. It never failed that even after all of these years, Carina was still capable of giving her butterflies. She took Carina's chin in her hand and tilted her head so they were eye to eye before pulling her into a deep kiss. 

"I wouldn't wanna have this baby girl with anyone else." Maya nuzzled her nose against Carina's. "Speaking of, we should probably give her a name so we don't have to keep calling her 'baby girl.'"

Carina nodded as she went back to painting. "Did you have any names in mind?

“I was thinking...we could name her after your mom.” Maya said quietly. She had been considering it for a while but wasn't sure what Carina would think.

Carina paused and looked up at Maya. Her eyes were filled with tears. “Maya, you don’t have to do that.”

“I want to, babe. But if you don't, I understand."

"I do. Thank you for thinking of me." Carina used her free hand to wipe a stray tear and leaned down to kiss the part of Maya's belly that was not yet covered in paint. 

At the beginning of their relationship, Carina had mentioned once in casual conversation that if she were to ever have a daughter, she wanted to name her after her mother. She couldn't believe that not only was it now happening, but it was Maya's idea. She was so grateful for her wife and the life they were making together.

Carina finished painting and they were both equally impressed at how well the pumpkin had turned out. After making Maya take some pictures (and Carina sending them out against Maya's wishes), they spent the rest of the night handing out candy to trick-or-treaters and watching scary movies with their little pumpkin. They were only twenty weeks away from meeting Baby G, and they couldn't be any happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And....now you know the gender and they've chosen a name! You'll have to wait until the birth to find out what it is though ;) Any guesses?


	5. Chapter Five: Twenty Four Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to switch it up and throw in a little turbulence ;) we're close to meeting Baby G, so as always let me know if there's anything you want to see!

It had been a fairly easy pregnancy for both Maya and Carina as a couple so far. However, the closer they got to the birth of their daughter and the more planning there was to do, the more they began to fight. 

They had fought over the colors for the nursery, the type of car seat they should get, the type of bottles they were eventually going to use, and now their newest fight: the birth.

While Carina had never thought there would be much to even discuss about the birth, Maya had other plans. She had been researching natural birth options and was now considering a home birth or a birth center. She never thought she’d be the type to look up other options but this pregnancy continued to surprise her. Maya didn't have many requests, but she knew she wanted absolutely no pain medication and that she wanted the birth to be intimate; preferably just her, Carina, and the doctor.

She brought it up to Carina one night in attempt to make some random late night conversation. She had no idea it would turn into a fight.

They were laying in bed, Maya on her laptop and Carina with her head rested on her shoulder and one hand on top of Maya’s growing belly. They were ordering some more things for Baby G when Maya switched to the tab for one of the birthing centers she had been looking into. 

“What is this?” Carina asked curiously as she cuddled into Maya.

“It’s a birth center.”

“For...” Carina waited for Maya to elaborate.

“For giving birth to a baby? You know I’m pregnant right?” Maya asked with a laugh. She was genuinely confused at where the conversation was headed.

“Wait, there is a baby in here?” Carina asked sarcastically, poking at Maya’s bump. 

Maya rolled her eyes with a smile as she swatted at Carina’s hand. 

“What’s wrong with having the baby at Grey Sloan?”

“I mean, what made you assume I would ever have the baby there? Because you work there?”

“Well...yes.” Carina replied matter-of-factly.

“Hospitals aren’t the only place to have babies, Carina.”

“I’m aware of that, but they are the safest option, Maya.”

Carina sat up and moved so they were now facing each other. She knew from the tone of Maya’s voice that a fight was quickly brewing.

“And you know that from all the birth centers you’ve worked at, right?” 

Carina bit down on her lower lip in an attempt from saying something she’d regret later. While their fights had definitely been few and far between and less heated these days, she knew tensions were currently high and Maya’s hormones were all over the place.

“Maya, I-“ Carina paused, choosing her words carefully.

“You don’t wanna fight with me?” Maya challenged.

Carina sighed and took Maya’s hand in her own.

“Maya, I’m just worried. About your safety and the baby’s. At the hospital there are people I know and trust and you have the best team taking care of you if something were to happen to you or Baby G.”

“But I don’t know them. They aren’t my friends or coworkers. And personally, I’d rather not have a bunch of your friends watching me while I push a baby out of my vagina.” 

Carina rubbed her temple with her free hand. All of the fighting they had been doing lately was starting to take a toll on her. 

“I really just think it would be the best option.”

“And just because you deliver babies all day doesn’t mean you actually know anything about giving birth to them.” Maya retorted in a tone that was angrier than she had intended. 

“Wow, okay.” Carina quickly tugged the covers off of herself as she stood from the bed and grabbed her pillow.

“Well then maybe you should just do this all by yourself since you know so much.” 

Carina walked out the door and slammed it behind her before Maya could get in another word. 

Maya instantly deflated, beating herself up for what she had just let happen. In her heart, she knew Carina was only looking out for the best interest of her and the baby, but she was feeling more vulnerable and sensitive than ever, two emotions that she was still learning how to deal with.

She sat back against the bed with a heavy sigh, scrolling aimlessly on the site as she decided where they would go from here.

After an hour when Carina still didn’t come back to bed, Maya resigned and took her laptop out to the living room. She sat next to Carina on the couch, sliding underneath the blanket with her. 

“Hi,” Maya pressed a kiss to Carina’s shoulder. “Are you still mad at me?” 

Carina’s answer was apparent in her lack of acknowledgment toward the blonde. 

“I’m sorry for turning into pregozilla. We both know I know better. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you like that.” Maya continued peppering little kisses across Carina’s skin. 

Carina let out a soft sigh. “Maya I know you are going through a lot right now but you can’t fight with me every time we disagree on something.”

“I know. And it won’t happen again.” She said, leaning into Carina’s side, “But can you at least see where I’m coming from and why I might want to consider other options? I’ve done a decent amount of research, and I think you might actually like it too, if you gave it a chance.”

“I will take a look, but,” Carina turned her head so she and Maya were eye to eye, “I’m serious about the fighting. We’ve moved on from fights like those and I won’t tolerate going back to them. Even now.”

“I understand.” Maya nodded. She was in full agreement that they needed to nip the fighting in the bud before it had a chance of getting any worse, and she was going to do her hardest to not let it happen again.

Maya opened her laptop and Carina slid it into her lap. “Okay, show me what you’ve found.”

Maya scrolled through the website of the birth center, pointing out all of the perks she had found so far. Carina had to admit it looked nicer than she had thought it would; the place had a very home-like feel which she liked, a doula or midwife available for the birth if that’s what they wanted, and spacious bath tubs in every suite, which Maya had pointed out would also be an incredible pain relief option.

“It does look great, Maya.” Carina said genuinely with a smile, “but what if something goes wrong and the nearest doctor is miles away?”

“Well technically, the nearest doctor will be right next to me.” Maya replied with a smirk. “But, if you go to this page,” Maya clicked over to the next tab, “you’ll see that they are all medical professionals as well. We’re in good hands, babe.”

Carina continued scrolling, reading carefully through each section of the website. She looked through pictures of the center itself, the suites, and the after birth procedures and protocols they had in place. She had to admit, it was becoming a bit more appealing to her. 

Maya’s eyes lit up as she watched Carina grab her phone to start making notes as she scrolled. 

“Writing down questions, Dr. Deluca?”

“Mhm.” Carina nodded and typed rapidly on her phone.

“Does this mean we can go take a tour?" Maya asked, hopeful.

“We can go take a tour. I’m not agreeing to anything yet, but I will take a tour.” 

They booked an appointment for a tour on their next day off and both Carina and Maya were even more impressed than they had thought they would be. Maya was pretty much already sold, but taking a tour and meeting the team of midwives reassured her that this was where she wanted to give birth. Everyone was extremely welcoming and accommodating, and Maya felt that she would be in good hands with them. Carina, in true doctor form, showed up skeptical and with a list of questions but was actually surprised to learn that lots of doctors had partners who had delivered there. It was very quiet and peaceful, the rooms were furnished to resemble bedrooms similar to their own at home to make the moms more comfortable, and they weren't required to stay overnight if they didn't want to; in fact they could leave only hours after Maya gave birth if they were comfortable doing so. 

Carina hadn't seen this coming at the beginning of Maya's pregnancy, but she was happy Maya had taken her out of her comfort zone and now they could focus on what was most important: making sure Baby G's arrival was as safe and as easy as possible. She was excited to not be Dr. Deluca in the delivery room for once and instead first time mom to her beautiful baby girl.


	6. Chapter Six: Twenty Eight Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Writer's block is a bitch.  
> This chapter is full on fluff so enjoy!  
> There's a part near the end of the fic that references one of Danielle's tweets from last week, see if you can catch it ;)  
> Only three more chapters until Baby G is born!  
> (and as always, forgive me if the Italian isn't accurate)

They were in the final stretch: the third trimester. Baby G was more active than ever, resulting in leg cramps and back pain for Maya, and sleep was becoming less pleasurable with each night that passed. Carina had gotten Maya a pregnancy pillow which was currently saving her life and happily obliging to massages whenever she was asked. Maya hated having to be so dependent on Carina, and sometimes she felt bad for how much she was doing but she promised that when the roles were reversed she would go above and beyond for her as well.

Since they were getting closer to meeting their baby girl, Carina and Maya had been trying to spend as much time together as they could, which led to Carina suggesting that they go on a babymoon. A bunch of her patients had raved about how great of a time they'd had on their own babymoons and they both thought it would be the perfect chance for what would probably be their last getaway as a party of two. 

Carina had booked them a suite at a resort in Malibu and planned an entire getaway that included all of their favorite things: massages, dancing, dinner, the beach, and of course plenty of time to just relax and be with each other.

/

Carina guided Maya into their room, her hands covering the blonde's eyes. She uncovered them as they stepped through the door Maya instantly teared up at the sight in front of her. A banner that read “congratulations, mommies!” hung in the living room area, along with an assortment of desserts on the table and there were roses scattered to the bathroom where the tub was filled with bubbles and had glasses of champagne and sparkling cider. 

“Do you love it?” Carina asked, although she already knew the answer from Maya’s lack of words. 

Maya nodded in response as she took in her surroundings, too choked up to form an actual answer. Carina smiled and grabbed her hand to tug her outside to the balcony. 

The warm breeze blew over them as they stepped out into the fresh air and Carina moved behind Maya and snaked her arms around her. She placed her hands on Maya’s belly that had now grown significantly and Maya leaned back against Carina and let out a happy sigh. She placed her hands over her wife’s and a soft smile formed across her lips.

Carina rubbed her hands up and down Maya’s bump, pressing against her belly as the baby kicked her hand. A sense of calm washed over her; she loved feeling their baby so close, and knowing that each day that went by was another day closer to meeting her made her overwhelmed with excitement. She also loved watching Maya's body grow and change to carry their little life, which she reminded her of every chance she got. Maya had always been absolutely beautiful and she only got more beautiful as the time passed.

They swayed in silence for a few moments before Maya finally spoke, knowing that if Carina wasn't speaking her mind was definitely going.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours, Mrs. Bishop-Deluca?" Maya asked softly.

Carina smiled and rested her chin on Maya's shoulder. She pressed a soft kiss to the side of Maya's neck. 

"Just thinking about how much I love you and how happy I am to be here with you." They both chuckled at the very active baby kicking underneath their hands, "and how much I love our little kick boxer."

They continued swaying back and forth as they took in their surroundings; the sun beaming down on the beach in front of them, the white sand, the breeze hitting their skin. Carina hummed an Italian song that Maya recognized instantly. She loved all the music that Carina had introduced her to but this song was one of her favorites. Carina sang it to her belly all the time when she thought Maya was sleeping and Maya had it memorized at this point. She began humming along with Carina which brought the biggest grin to the brunette's face. 

"I love you so much," Maya said, just above a whisper. 

She pulled Carina tighter as she melted against her. Maya couldn't believe this was her life; married to a beautiful and incredible woman with a baby on the way, and truly, genuinely happy. She couldn't wait for the weekend ahead of them.

/

The next day started off with gourmet breakfast delivered to their room. They drank orange juice out of champagne glasses at Maya's request as they caught up on some TV and Carina, of course, gave Maya the run down on everything that was going on in the land of the Real Housewives. 

After much needed lounging around for what felt like hours, they continued with the rest of the itinerary for the day starting with Carina's first surprise: a surrey ride around the beach. Maya was a bit hesitant at first, knowing the only thing keeping her on board was a tiny seat belt, but Carina promised she would peddle carefully. 

Maya couldn't get enough of how beautiful Carina looked as they rode down the beach. She pulled out her phone to snap a picture to which Carina was oblivious of; Carina was looking straight ahead, one hand on the wheel and her free hand combing through her hair. Her long wavy hair blew in the wind and the way the sun hit her brown eyes made them sparkle. Maya fell in love with her all over again every time she looked at her and her heart ached at how beautiful her wife was without even trying. 

Carina looked over as Maya snapped another picture and mouthed a quick "love you" before turning her attention back to the path in front of her. As they continued on the long ride, Maya played music on her phone and they sang along and laughed as they got crazy looks by the people they zoomed past. 

After a lot of convincing, Carina finally allowed Maya to drive and peddle for a bit, and Carina sat on the passengers side with her hand protectively covering Maya's belly. Baby G kicked like crazy underneath her hand and Carina was convinced they were terrorizing her but Maya swore she was fine and having the time of her life. 

They spent the rest of the day on the beach before wrapping up the day with a couples massage. Maya had never been big on massages, but the prenatal massage the spa offered was everything she needed and Baby G loved it just as much. 

/

They ended the night with a bubble bath, strawberries, and (non-alcoholic) champagne. 

Maya and Carina sat across from each other in the big jacuzzi tub filled with bubbles. Maya nibbled happily at a strawberry while Carina sipped her champagne. 

"Thank you for the amazing day, babe." Maya said between bites.

"You're welcome, Bella." She hesitated a bit before she continued, "Are you feeling okay?"

Maya rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile. She knew that Carina knew she was annoyed with her constantly checking up on her but still couldn't help herself.

"I feel great. Promise." She nodded towards the nearly empty plate sitting next to the tub, "I might need more strawberries though."

"We'll get you more strawberries." Carina said with a chuckle. She knew better than to get between Maya and her sweets.

"You know," Maya scooped up bubbles with her free hand and blew them in Carina's direction. "I fall more and more in love with you every day." 

Carina shot a grin in her wife's direction. Although Maya had definitely gotten better at expressing her feelings over the years, she still had a tendency to get shy when doing so and it still made Carina's heart flutter each time she did.

"Il sentimento è reciproco, amore mio."

"I've fallen in love with you over and over again ever since you first sat next to me at Joe's and ordered white wine." Maya confessed quietly.

Carina sat back against the tub, giving Maya a questioning stare. "You never told me that before."

Maya shrugged nonchalantly. "It's true."

"You fell in love with me at Joe's?" Carina asked curiously. This conversation was taking her by surprise and she was enjoying it.

"I mean...I looked at you and I knew then and there that I would love you for the rest of my life." Maya replied truthfully. She grabbed the last strawberry off the plate and popped it into her mouth.

"Maya..." Carina blushed as she met Maya's gaze.

"When did you know?" Maya interjected through a mouth full of strawberry.

"Hm?"

"That you were in love with me."

Carina took another sip of champagne. "It was the day you had that big accident with the drunk driver." 

Maya nodded slowly, continuing to play with the bubbles as she waited for Carina to elaborate on her answer.

"When we were laying in bed and you broke down in my arms and cried for hours. That's when I knew."

Maya laughed nervously as she felt her face turn hot. "Well, that's embarrassing."

Carina shook her head, taking on a serious tone. "It's not embarrassing, bella. You had been so tough and...temprato. I could tell that you had never been that vulnerable with anyone before. I was glad that you could be that way with me because I know it was hard for you and it made me fall in love with you."

Maya's lower lip quivered and she bit down on it to cease the tears at bay. Blue eyes met brown and they both smiled. They remembered that day perfectly. Maya had been dealing with the stress of becoming captain and fighting with her best friend and all she had intended to do was invite Carina over for sex and instead ended up crying in her arms for hours. Maya was sure that Carina would never want to speak to her again after making a fool of herself and now here they were. 

"Don't make me cry." Maya let out a watery laugh and Carina gestured towards her.

"Vieni qui." 

Maya carefully slid towards Carina and Carina met her halfway. She pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and tugged her as close as Maya's belly would allow. They nuzzled their noses together and pressed their bodies into each other. Maya wrapped her legs around Carina's waist and Carina placed her hands on Maya's face, brushing a tear that fell freely down her cheek.

"I want our daughter to know she can be that vulnerable with us. That she can tell us anything and not be afraid of what we'll say or think."

"Si, she will. We are going to give her everything we never had." Carina agreed with a nod.

Neither one of them knew what kind of parent they would be, but they certainly knew what kind of parent they wouldn't.

The rest of the weekend was pure bliss. Carina surprised Maya with dinner on the beach, they got in some pool time, and even got to go dancing (even though Maya got tired after an hour and they had to call it an early night). The babymoon was much needed and now they were ready to start the final preparations for Baby G's arrival. Maya had hoped that all of these moments of peace were a sign of all of the good things to come.


	7. Chapter Seven: Thirty Two Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of your lovely comments! I feel like I'm so bad at replying but I see them and I appreciate them. Thanks for sticking with me and this fic :)
> 
> If you watched private practice (and are a Charlotte King stan like I am), the end of this chapter might seem familiar to you...;)
> 
> (and as usual, forgive the Italian if it's incorrect)

There were only eight weeks left and the final countdown was officially on. Maya was growing more anxious and cranky and although she and Carina had been fighting less, she had now started getting into it with anyone else that crossed her path. 

One day while at the farmer's market, Carina had been approached by a guy who hit on her and asked her on a date. Carina promptly turned him down and went to find Maya, but when she innocently asked her what a MILF was, explaining that the man who had just hit on her had referred to her as such, Maya lost her mind. She found the guy and threatened to fight him ( _I will put you in the ground_ were her exact words), regardless of being eight months pregnant. Carina had to physically step in front of Maya and push her away before she caused a scene and got them banned from ever coming back.

The next week, she almost punched a lady at the coffee shop who touched her belly without permission. The lady was older and very sweet and didn't mean any harm, but Maya had had enough of being looked at and treated like a museum exhibit. Carina had to apologize profusely and offer to make up for it by paying for her coffee. 

After a firm scolding from Carina about keeping her attitude in check or staying home, Maya promised she would (try) to behave, and as an apology went to get the rest of the things they needed for Baby G's nursery while Carina was at work.

/

Maya sat on the rug in the nursery, one hand in a giant bag of salt and vinegar chips and the other hand on the floor behind her to prop herself up. Although she felt huge and couldn’t possibly imagine the baby growing anymore, her belly made a great table top to hold snacks.

Carina stood before her in a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jean overalls, her hair tossed back into a messy bun. She dipped the paintbrush into the can labeled "lilac" and began on the wall in front of her. She had barely made five strokes before Maya piped up.

"You sure you wanna do it like that, babe?"

Carina let out an exasperated sigh. "Like what, Maya?"

"It's streaky," Maya gestured into the air, a chip in her hand. "You have to make longer strokes so it won't look like that."

Carina dipped her brush into the paint again, choosing not to acknowledge her wife with a response and continued painting instead.

Maya happily crunched away at her chips while she watched Carina. Five minutes later, she interjected again.

"Carina, the coats of paint look thicker there," she motioned towards one side of the wall, "than there." 

Carina kept her back towards Maya and rolled her eyes so hard she was surprised they didn't get stuck. 

"Do you see what I'm saying?" Maya asked when Carina didn't respond to her first statement.

Carina gritted her teeth as she turned around.

"Bella, do you wanna do this instead?"

Maya shook her head, oblivious to Carina's irritation as she dug around the chip bag. "No, you got this."

"Are you sure? Maybe I should sit on my ass and eat chips and give directions while you paint an entire room and put a crib and changing table together."

Maya looked up from the bag at Carina. The brunette had one hand on her hip and a thin layer of sweat coating her forehead. She looked annoyed and pissed off, but also adorable as hell. Maya couldn't help but smile.

"You're cute when you're cranky." 

"Will I be cute in handcuffs when I go to jail for killing my pregnant wife?"

Maya bit back the grin that was threatening to spread across her face. Instead, she motioned towards her lips as if she was zipping them and throwing away the key.

"I'm done. I'm sorry. I won't say anything else. Continue your painting, it looks amazing."

Maya stayed true to her word and was quiet during the remainder of Carina's painting. She ate almost the entire bag of chips while Baby G happily kicked away and Carina got in her zone and finished the room pretty quickly. When she was done, she set up the changing table, then put the finishing touches on the crib which Maya helped with as best as she could. Baby G's nursery was now finally complete: the lavender and grey room was decked out with a brand new crib and changing table from Maya's mom, a rocking chair perfect for nursing from Zio Andrew, and lots of pictures of Maya and Carina. Maya was beyond impressed; Carina had still been working full time and somehow managed to put the nursery together almost completely by herself. 

Maya gestured toward Carina and Carina moved to sit down behind her. She reached her hand into the bag that sat on Maya's lap with one hand and rested her hand on top of her bump with the other. 

"The room looks amazing. Baby G is so lucky to have you as her mama."

"è fortunata ad avere entrambi," Carina said with a smile. "I can't believe she'll be here so soon."

"Speaking of...I think I changed my mind about childbirth classes."

Carina had mentioned taking them previously, but Maya had been completely against them. She swore up and down that women gave birth every day and her body would just know what to do when the time came (not to mention having the most brilliant OB for a wife), but the closer it got the more her anxiety started to get the best of her and she figured it wouldn't kill her to attend a class or two before her due date.

"Getting nervous?" Carina asked, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"No," Maya lied, "It just couldn't hurt to go and see what they're talking about."

"Mhm," Carina smirked as she grabbed another chip. "Well if that's what you want, I'll sign us up for one this week."

/

Maya laced her fingers with Carina's as they walked into the birth center. Maya took in her surroundings as they headed towards the room where the class was being held; although they had been here multiple times, the closer it got to her due date the more everything just seemed so real. Carina gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, sensing that Maya was nervous as hell and in her head, and Maya gave her hand a squeeze back. She was so grateful to have Carina by her side through all of this.

Carina led them into the room and they grabbed a mat and a pillow before taking a seat near the back of the room. They waited for a few more couples to join and the teacher introduced herself before explaining the class and everything it entailed.

They had to go around and introduce themselves; they were asked to share how far along they were, if they knew the gender, and what they were most looking forward to about being a parent. Maya thought it was stupid, but she played nice and faked interest anyway. After that, they started by watching a few birth videos. Maya had watched a couple on her own, but never any as graphic as what they were being shown. While Carina was unfazed and as calm as can be (which was to be expected considering this is what she does for a living), it took everything in Maya not to make play by play commentary on how disturbed she was. Carina had to shush her after multiple comments, and when Maya gagged and made disgusted noises while watching a video of a placenta being delivered, she even had to cover her mouth with her hand.

When they were done with the videos, the teacher had everyone try some exercises and practice different positions for labor. First, the teacher had instructed them to get into a side lying position with one leg up. Before Maya could even think to utter another comment, Carina shot her a look that told her it was best not to. Instead, Maya simply followed the instructions and got into position. 

Carina went behind Maya and supported one leg while Maya moved onto her side. Maya let out a loud huff of disapproval as she spoke under her breath.

"I feel like I'm a cow about to be milked."

Carina dug her nails into the leg she was holding.

"Maya, silenziosa." 

Maya let out a dramatic sigh. Her back was killing her in this position and she was dying to get out of it. She knew without a doubt that this would not be a position she would consider giving birth in. 

The teacher continued talking and Maya turned her head to whisper to Carina. "Do your patients seriously do this? They have babies in this position and you just let them?"   


"If that's how they're comfortable, Bella." Carina whispered back in an attempt to shut her wife up.

The couple sitting next to them shot them an annoyed glare. Maya mouthed a quick sorry in response, giving them a sarcastic shrug.

"You are being so bad," Carina whispered again, noticing the other couples around them also giving them less than pleased looks.

"How bad?" Maya smirked, "You wanna punish me?"

Carina slapped her leg, "Shh, pay attention."

The teacher gave them the go ahead to change positions, this time instructing them to switch to a squatting position. Carina helped Maya so she was now lowered down to the ground with her legs spread and Carina was behind her supporting her by holding onto her underneath her arms.

Maya made another remark about how this position made her feel like an animal in the wild giving birth and Carina tried to keep her composure. Carina wasn't new to any of this, however, she was new to being one half of the couple involved in the delivery and Maya always knew exactly how to make her laugh.

Carina continued to try to keep her wife in line as she watched the other couples and the teacher's irritation grow, but when they were instructed to move onto their hands and her knees, Maya made a comment about how the position was familiar and all that was missing was the strap from last night, they both ended up laughing so hard the woman next to them finally spoke up.

"Excuse me? You two are being really rude right now. You're about to have a child and this is how you're acting? Don't you think you should be learning something from this? Childbirth is not a game."

Maya and Carina both stopped abruptly and when Maya cleared her throat to speak, Carina whispered a "here we go" under her breath.

"Excuse you, we're rude? 'Cause you all are so uptight about pushing a baby out of your vagina? My wife and I don't even need this stupid class. She's the best fucking OBGYN in this city and all of you would even be so lucky to have her as your doctor, meanwhile I get her as my wife and birthing partner. So thanks, but we are well aware that this is not a game. Save all the bitching and scolding for your own child."

The woman, along with a few of the others in the class audibly gasped and the teacher angrily cut into the conversation.

"You know what, ma'am? I'm gonna have to ask you and your wife to leave." 

"We're already gone." Maya motioned for Carina's hand to help her up and they quickly grabbed their things and exited the room.

Maya began to head out to the car but Carina quickly grabbed her hand and tugged her in the opposite direction.

"No. Bathroom. Now."

Maya thought she was about to be scolded for her behavior but before the door could shut all the way, Carina was tugging at Maya's pants instead.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

"That was so sexy, the way you stood up for us in there."

Maya raised an eyebrow, smirking as Carina undid her pants. 

"Yeah? Me being crazy and inappropriate turns you on?"

"You being a crazy protective mama bear turns me on."

Carina grinned and lifted Maya up on the counter. She parted the blondes legs as she moved between them.

"Are you sure you wanna do this here? I'm eight months pregnant, babe."

Carina nodded furiously, pulling Maya in for a heated kiss and biting down on her bottom lip.

"Sono ottimista." Carina replied in a husky voice.

Carina growled against her lips before pulling back and lowering herself between Maya's legs. Maya gripped the counter with one hand and Carina's shoulder with the other. Carina began to pull down Maya's panties as the bathroom door swung open and the same woman from their class appeared.

"Oh dear god!" She exclaimed in sheer horror.

"Um, do you mind?!" Maya said, growing more irritated by the second, "my wife is trying to go down on me right now."   


The wide eyed woman ran out in horror, making both Carina and Maya burst into a fit of laughter before Carina went back to taking care of her wife.  For once, Maya's wild hormones had been a gift, and they were both about to reap the benefits from it.


	8. Chapter Eight: Thirty Six Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left before we meet Baby G!   
> Would you guys be interested in an epilogue/a continuation of Maya and Carina with their daughter? Let me know your thoughts :)  
> Thanks for all the comments and everyone who's still reading!

Thirty Six Weeks. Maya had officially been pregnant for nine months. It felt like she had been pregnant forever but time had flown by at the same time. Sleep was a thing of the past, her back hurt just from breathing, she had adopted a waddle when she walked (which Carina thought was the cutest thing ever), and she was feeling pain she never thought she'd experience in her entire life.

To say she was over being pregnant was an understatement, but she also couldn't fully wrap her head around the fact that in just four weeks or less she and Carina would be responsible for another person for the rest of their lives. She would now officially be Maya Bishop-Deluca: wife AND mother. 

Carina had been a Godsend through it all. Maya always knew that if she wanted to have anyone by her side through something like this it would be Carina, but her wife had gone even more above and beyond than she could've ever hoped for. Carina had tried super hard to not be in doctor mode so often and to just be a supportive wife and listen to Maya's needs. She was there to get Maya a 3 am ice cream fix or to give her a massage when her ankles swelled up to the size of balloons. And now, with Maya on maternity leave, the impatience and anxiety had kicked in full force and they were both ready to meet their baby girl.

But as ready as Maya was, she was not ready for  what she was sure was her least favorite part of pregnancy: Braxton Hicks contractions. 

The first time they happened was while she was on her daily (run now turned) walk. She was on the usual trail she took when she started to feel slight cramping in her lower back. She stepped off the trail and took a sip of water and tried to even out her breathing. She was hardly walking fast at all but decided to slow down even more. When the cramping subsided, she continued walking, taking it a bit easier this time, but when the cramps returned she found the nearest bench and took a seat. When they wouldn't go away, she decided to end her walk early and opted to go to her favorite cafe to grab some tea instead.

As she walked to the cafe, the cramps tapered off and she figured the baby was probably just in a weird position and overstimulated from all the walking, but as she was waiting in line, the cramps quickly returned and she had to breathe her way through them in an attempt to not cause a scene. After getting her tea, she debated between calling Carina or calling her midwife and in the end decided to call Carina because calling the midwife just made it all seem too real.

Maya had explained to Carina what she was feeling and Carina had told her they were probably just Braxton Hicks contractions, but Maya insisted she was going into labor for real and decided to take an uber to Grey Sloan to be checked out.

To no one's surprise, Carina was right and Maya now had a pissed off wife on her hands. _I rescheduled important patients for this, Maya!_ Carina had scolded, along with a lot of other Italian curse words Maya was very familiar with.

Carina sent Maya home and told her to take it easy and to stay hydrated and to "not call her unless she was seriously dying."

The second time Maya experienced Braxton Hicks contractions again was a week later while babysitting Pru. 

They were in the kitchen making cookies when Maya felt the familiar tightening in her abdomen. The dough dropped onto the pan and her hands flew to her belly which was now hard as a rock and she was positive this was the moment. She had Pru call Carina and when she put Maya on the phone all Carina said was to drink some water, lie down, and she would be fine. When Maya insisted yet again that this was the real thing and that water would not stop the baby from coming, Carina told her to have fun with Pru and save her some cookies.

When it happened the third time, Maya called Carina and said she was "absolutely, 100%, without a doubt positive" that she was in labor. Carina simply hung up on her and came home. She had decided to start her maternity leave early because Maya couldn't focus on anything else, and she wasn't getting work done with Maya blowing up her phone every two seconds anyway.

With both of them now at home 24/7, Carina had done some research and asked her patients for helpful activities and stress relievers to get them through the last few weeks. She knew that Maya needed to take her mind off of labor and they both needed to relax and decided to get a belly casting kit. It would be a fun project for both of them and a cute memorabilia of Maya's pregnancy.

Maya sat on the high top chair at the kitchen island as Carina cut the strips of plaster and lined them across the counter. Maya grabbed the petroleum jelly and began rubbing it across her skin, but the slimy feeling instantly made her cringe. Although Maya didn't complain, Carina noticed as she glanced up and switched with Maya, giving her the strips to cut while she applied the petroleum jelly across Maya's bare bump. Maya gave her a small smile of thanks and Carina met her gaze and matched her smile. It was simple moments like these that made Maya fall in love with her all over again.

They both fell silent as Carina covered Maya's skin in jelly and Maya placed the strips on top of the counter. They enjoyed the pure intimacy of this moment; Maya calm and concentrated while Carina got distracted by her glowing beauty. Carina watched the blonde while Maya continued cutting the strips obliviously. Her heart ached as she thought about how it would be one of their last moments of silence.

When Carina was done she grabbed a towel and placed it on Maya's lap and tucked it into her shorts. She grabbed the basin filled with water and dipped a strip into it. She rung it out before placing it along the bottom of Maya's belly. Maya flinched at the cold strip against her skin.

"Sorry, Bella." Carina ran her hands back and forth along the strip in an attempt to warm it up. 

She slid the basin under the faucet to add warmer water to it. 

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually gonna miss being pregnant."

"You're gonna miss being pregnant or you're gonna miss me taking care of you 24/7?" Carina asked with a laugh as she started on the next strip. 

"Both." Maya replied with a cheeky smirk. "I'm gonna miss moments like these. We won't get to do this ever again."

"You never know, maybe we'll wanna do this again." Carina replied with a shrug.

"We weren't even sure we wanted to do it this time, babe."

"And look how much things have changed since then."

Carina was right. When they had first started dating, they were both positive kids were off of the table. They were fine being the fun aunts to all of their friends children instead. And now, their baby girl was about to make her arrival and maybe one day they would want to give her a sibling.

Maya quickly snapped out of her thoughts, flinching as Carina laid another strip against her skin.

"Still cold?" 

Maya shook her head, "I'm having another Braxton Hicks contraction, I think."

The blonde groaned in frustration when Carina ignored her and went back to placing the strips across her belly.

"Shouldn't we be timing these?"

"They're just practice, bambina." Carina reassured her.

"And how do you know that?" 

"Because I do this every day." Carina gave her a wink and placed a kiss to the top of her head.

Maya rolled her eyes in response. Carina was more than likely right, but her lack of urgency was annoying.

"When you have to deliver this baby on the kitchen floor because you didn't listen to me, then you'll be sorry."

"Mhm." Carina said as she concentrated on placing the strips carefully. "Do you want some water or tea? That will help since you can't really change positions right now."

"No." Maya pouted, which earned a sympathetic giggle from Carina.

Carina finished up, laying the final strips across Maya's skin and making sure she didn't miss any spots. She could feel Baby G move wildly underneath her hands and quietly kept an eye out on Maya's contractions, timing them in her head just to be safe. 

When she was finally done, they made sure the cast was hardened completely before gently pulling it off. Maya let out a dramatic sigh of relief, the weight of the plaster being lifted making it (slightly) easier to move and get in a more comfortable position.

Carina set it aside to let it dry and later on when the cast was ready they decorated it together. They decided to paint it grey and lavender to match Baby G's room, and wrote her name along with her due date on it. Little did they know, the newest Bishop-Deluca would have other plans.


	9. Chapter Nine: Forty Weeks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, here it is! Thank you so much for all of your nice comments and feedback, this was my first journey back into fanfiction writing after working on strictly scripts for so long so it's been a nice change! I hope this is everything you all hoped for :)  
> I definitely have plans for more fics in the future when I have time, but for now enjoy!  
> (also I guess I should give warnings that this chapter is...mature? lol. mentions of sex and obviously there is childbirth, don't kill me if it's not totally 100% accurate I'm not an expert, google has been my best friend through this)

Maya had Braxton Hicks contractions every single day up until the only day she actually wanted to have contractions: her due date. On the day of her due date, Maya woke up after sleeping peacefully for the first time in almost a month and not one contraction. She was able to go the entirety of her morning walk with no pain and didn't so much as feel even the tiniest cramp the whole day.  She knew that due dates were almost always inaccurate, but the fact that her due date was the day she felt absolutely nothing had to be some kind of sick joke from the universe. 

In her head, she had always pictured the events of her due date to happen the way it was shown in the movies: she'd wake up, her water would break instantly, and Carina would have to rush her to the birth center. Instead, her due date was spent completely uneventful and the opposite of how she thought it would go nine months ago.

With her due date coming and going, she prepared each day for the possibility that Baby G would be making her appearance. But when a week had passed and there was still no sign of their baby girl coming into the world anytime soon, she made an appointment with their midwife Brooke. She assured her that everything was fine though, and that first babies were usually overdue.

_ The baby will come when she's ready, Maya.  _ Carina had reassured and even though she knew that was true, it didn't change the fact that she had a full grown baby taking over her entire body and it was time for her to make her exit.

On the ninth day past her due date, Maya decided to take matters into her own hands. She spent the majority of her day on google looking up ways to induce labor. She laughed when she saw one of the first suggestions was walking. She had been doing that for nine months now with no results. 

She went to the classics first: drinking castor oil, eating dates, and drinking raspberry tea, which all resulted in absolutely nothing except for a terrible stomach ache and an extremely full bladder. After that , she made Carina drive them around the neighborhood to drive fast over the speed bumps, but also nothing.

Finally, she went to her last resort: sex. Of course, that had been Carina's first suggestion, but she felt so huge and gross she wanted to do anything except that. But when nothing else seemed to be working, she put her wife to work. She had to admit, it was better than she thought it'd be at a million weeks pregnant, but when more days passed and still nothing, she gave up. Once again, Carina was right: Baby G would come when she was ready and not any sooner.

Almost two weeks after her due date and no progress, Brooke suggested induction. She said they would wait another 48 hours and if there was no progress, they would have to medically intervene. That was the last thing Maya wanted to do, but at this point, she was over it. _Mommy has served you your eviction notice, G._ Carina joked at their final appointment.

/

Maya bounced up and down on the green labor ball Carina had gotten her while she watched TV. The ball had been used for everything but labor at this point and she was too uncomfortable to sit in a chair or on the couch so this was her new favorite spot. She pressed her hand into her lower back that had been aching as she looked over at the clock that read 11:59 am. Carina was at her yoga class and wouldn't be home for a couple more hours and she was bored as hell.

Baby G punched and kicked as best as she could, although the space had become beyond cramped at this point and Maya was sure there was no more room to move around.  She rubbed her hand across the top of her bump. 

"I know, I know. Trust me, I want you out of there too."

She alternated between rubbing her back and her belly, both exhausted and in pain from holding too much weight. 

Maya couldn't take the boredom any longer. She decided to do another load of laundry for no reason, made herself a smoothie, and cleaned the entire kitchen and living room. When Carina finally got home, Maya was back in her usual spot, the labor ball, and Carina came over and greeted her with a kiss.

"How was yoga?" Maya asked, desperate to have any sort of conversation at this point.

"It was good. Everyone is missing you, though."

"I can't wait to go back." 

Carina had introduced Maya to yoga early on in their relationship and Maya had unexpectedly fallen in love with it.

"Soon, amore."  Carina's smile turned into a frown as she noticed Maya digging her hand into her back,  "Are you okay?"

"Mhm, fine. I just decided to clean and my back has been killing me ever since."

"You should probably go lie down."

Maya shook her head, "I'm comfortable here."

Carina gave her a look that said that was more of a command than a suggestion. Maya opted against an argument and instead reached for Carina's hands to help her up.

Carina followed Maya into their room and helped her into bed to make sure she was all good. Maya groaned as she tried to adjust herself and the pillows surrounding her body, but she knew all efforts to feel any sort of comfort would be nearly impossible.

"So. Over. Being. Pregnant." Maya mumbled into her pillow.

"Well you know, you could always-"

"Carina, if you say masturbate one more time, I swear to God."

Maya swatted her hand in the air towards her wife. Carina had literally just been a parrot of sex, masturbation, and orgasms for the last two weeks.

"I'll leave you alone, in case you change your mind." Carina bit back a smirk as she walked out of their room.

/

Maya spent the next couple of hours tossing and turning. She was in a weird daze where she couldn't quite fall asleep, but she also wasn't fully awake either. Her back ached the entire time, and as soon as she had gotten even a little comfortable, her back pain began to get more intense and she gave up altogether. 

She resigned and decided to get up and go join Carina in the living room, but as she got up she felt a gush of warm water between her legs.

"Carina..." She called out, attempting not to panic her wife or herself.

Carina came into the room and instead of freaking out when she saw the puddle on the floor in front of Maya, she smiled.

"What are you smiling for?!" Maya asked in an irritated voice.

"Your water broke."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"That means the baby is coming." 

She walked over to Maya and grinned as she placed a kiss to her lips. The blonde wanted to be annoyed but she loved how excited Carina was.

"I told you she would come when she was ready. Are you in any pain?"

"A little, but not anything terrible."

Carina pulled Maya into a hug and they swayed back in forth for a moment. The day was finally here. Two long weeks overdue, but it was finally here. And they both couldn't be happier.

/

Maya decided to take a shower while she was still feeling okay and Carina followed behind her after cleaning up the floor. 

"Carina, can you wash my hair?" Maya asked timidly while Carina helped her get undressed.

"Of course." Carina replied, giving her a small smile.

Carina turned on the water and helped Maya into the shower. Maya gripped onto Carina's shoulder with one hand as she stepped under the warm water. She let it wash over her as Carina put some shampoo in her hands and combed it through the blonde's hair. Maya's eyes fluttered shut as Carina massaged her scalp and she let herself get lost in her thoughts for a moment. She could feel the contractions getting stronger but let the water and her thoughts take over her mind instead. She wanted to soak in everything about this; her last moments of being pregnant, her wife doing something so simple yet so intimate for her, and their baby who would now be here sooner rather than later.

Carina guided Maya under the water to rinse her hair and when she was done she grabbed a towel and wrapped Maya in it before helping her out of the shower. She sat Maya down on top of the toilet seat while she brushed through and blow dried her hair. Her contractions kept getting stronger and there was no way she was gonna be able to do her hair by herself, so she was beyond grateful that Carina had volunteered to do it for her.

"How are you feeling?" Carina asked as she scooped Maya's hair up into a high ponytail.

"The contractions are definitely getting stronger." Maya said, pressing the palm of her hand into the side of her belly. "My stomach is rock hard."

Carina unwrapped Maya's towel and gave her a sports bra and a pair of basketball shorts to put on. 

She bent down to feel Maya's stomach, " Yeah, these are definitely stronger."

"I know," Maya said, sucking in a deep breath. "It hurts."

Carina patiently guided Maya through the contraction and when it passed, she took Carina's hand and the brunette led them out to the living room.  Maya sat on the labor ball while Carina filled up Maya's water bottle and grabbed her phone to time contractions. She sat across from Maya, taking both of her hands.

"Talk to me, I need a distraction." Maya said, trying not to focus on how much longer this could possibly take.

"On the day Andrea was born, I baked an entire batch of cookies for him, not realizing that newborn babies can't eat cookies." Carina laughed, "I baked a whole batch of cookies and then cried when my papa told me he wouldn't be able to eat them."

Maya smiled as she watched Carina talk, "So what did you end up doing with the cookies?"

"I ate as many as I could until I got sick. And then I didn't eat cookies again after that for a very long time."

Maya opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a contraction and Carina began timing it on her phone. She rubbed her thumbs along the back of Maya's hands and encouraged her to breathe. 

"I don't remember the day Mason was born," Maya started as her contraction subsided, "but I remember on his first birthday, I wasn't allowed to have any of his cake. My dad said cake was for fat kids. I was five."

Carina frowned, giving Maya's hands a gentle squeeze. "Bella...I'm-"

"Baby G can have as much cake as she wants." Maya interjected. "If she wants cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she will have it."

Carina grinned at the firmness of her wife's statement. They were both going to be so different from their parents in the best way, and she was excited for every minute of it.

The conversation became lighter as Maya's labor progressed, and she spent the next half hour laboring around the house wherever Maya was comfortable; their bed, the couch, the kitchen island, on Carina herself. Despite being in pain, Maya loved every minute of just being alone with Carina as her support and Carina loved the alone time as well. She loved being able to enjoy this time with Maya as her wife instead of as a patient.

/

Although things seemed to be moving pretty slowly at first, w ithin the span of an hour, Maya's contractions went from seven minutes apart to only two minutes apart and Maya was barely able to catch her breath in between them.

Everything was happening so fast and so sudden, Maya felt like she couldn't get her bearings at all.

"We need to go, now." Carina said firmly, but Maya couldn't move.  Her contractions were too close and too strong and her body was telling her there was no way they were going to make the thirty minute drive to the birth center.

Carina could see Maya was panicking and she offered to check how far along she was to ease Maya's stress and reassure her that they still had time to get there. Instead, as soon as she began the exam, she began to internally panic herself and Maya noticed instantly.

"What's wrong, Carina?!"

"I can feel the baby's head." Was all  Carina said as she quickly slid her hand out and tossed the glove in the trash can. 

Carina remained calm and managed to talk Maya down. She assured her that everything would be perfectly fine and she called Brooke and told her to get to the house immediately. They didn't have much time to wrap their heads around it, but it was happening: this baby was being born right here at home.

/

Brooke arrived a few minutes later and when she checked Maya she was fully dilated which meant it was officially time. Things had gone from zero to one hundred so fast both Maya and Carina's heads were spinning, but they were finally at the finish line and couldn't be more relieved.

Maya had planned on using the tub at the birth center so now they were making do with the next best thing: their own bath tub.

Maya submerged herself in the water and Carina sat directly behind her. She laid back against Carina and the brunette pulled her in close, wrapping her arms around her. Maya was exhausted and in so much pain and she knew the hardest part was about to happen. Carina pressed a gentle kiss to Maya's temple; the blonde could hear her whispering small phrases of "you've got this" and "you're doing so well" as the pain surged through her body.

Maya took slow, deep breaths. She grabbed one of Carina's hands and curled her fingers around the brunette's, squeezing her hand through the pain. Carina used her free hand to brush the stray hair that fell into Maya's face. She continued whispering soft words of encouragement into Maya's ear as she breathed her way through the contraction.

Carina and Brooke chatted quietly while Brooke set everything up in preparation for Baby G's arrival, but Maya's low groan interrupted them as another contraction piggybacked off the last one along with a surge of pressure.

"I have to push..." Maya whimpered quietly.

"Do what your body tells you, Maya." Carina reassured her, rubbing her thumb along Maya's hand.

Maya put her chin to her chest and bore down. Although she felt overwhelmed and exhausted, the atmosphere was tranquil and nurturing. Both Carina and Brooke were calm which helped her relax significantly. She could hear Carina encouraging her and it helped her to channel the pain and focus instead. She went somewhere else as she pushed again before relaxing into Carina's arms.

"Can you see anything?" Maya asked in hopes she had made a little bit of progress.

Brooke nodded, "Top of her head. She has a lot of hair." 

"Won't be much longer." Carina whispered, "You're doing so great."

Maya continued pushing with each contraction but she felt like nothing was happening. She was hot and achy and beyond tired and at this point she wouldn't mind if the midwife just pulled the baby out of her. 

Carina held onto her and supported her with every push. Time seemed to be going by extremely fast and extremely slow at the same time. 

"Is she coming?" Maya asked with impatience.

"She is," Brooke confirmed, "d o you wanna see?"

"What?" Maya asked, confused. 

"Do you wanna see your baby?" Brooke repeated with a smile. 

She grabbed a tiny mirror from her bag.

"Some moms like to use a mirror, it helps them with pushing."

Maya hesitated but nodded and Brooke put the mirror in the water. Both Maya and Carina gasped when they saw the top of the baby's head.

"Oh my god."

It was so surreal to Maya, but it was surreal to Carina as well. Carina had delivered more babies than she could count in her career, but that's just what it was: her job. This time it was her baby and her wife and she finally understood the feeling all of her patients and their spouses felt every time she would bring their children into the world. She was completely overwhelmed with joy.

Despite Maya's initial hesitation, she used the mirror to help her push and a few contractions later, the baby's head was out. 

"On the next contraction, you're gonna have a baby." Brooke reassured her, grabbing the suction and all of the other things she would need once the baby arrived.

Carina peppered kisses against Maya's cheek, still holding onto one hand, and holding onto her thigh with her other hand .

"You're almost there, Maya. So close. I'm so proud of you."

Maya waited for the next contraction and pushed harder than she ever had. Then, with Brooke's instruction, both she and Carina reached down and placed their hands under the baby's arms. They gently pulled her out and placed her on top of Maya's chest. They instantly burst into tears; they were crying and the baby was crying and neither of them had words to describe the feeling in that moment.

"It's a girl!" Brooke announced as she grabbed a towel and wiped off the baby.

Maya was in complete shock and disbelief as she looked down at the screaming baby that laid on her chest. She was bright red with a head full of dark blonde hair, and even though she was bloody and crying, she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 

Carina looked over at the clock that read 12:32 am on 2/14. She was born on Valentine's Day. The most loved little girl born on love day being held by her two moms who loved her and each other more than anything in the entire world.

Carina felt complete. Sitting here holding her wife and her daughter felt so perfect, she couldn't imagine a moment better than this.  Just a few years ago they had no desire to have children and now here they were with their baby girl, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

"Welcome to the world, Gianna Elanor Bishop-Deluca. You are so loved."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! What do you guys think of the name?  
> Also, I know I asked about a second part but would you want an epilogue as well?  
> Once again, thanks for reading and for all of the nice comments. I hope you've enjoyed it!


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long overdue, but here it is! A lot of people requested a part two so it will come at some point but when that is, I'm not sure.  
> Thanks again to everyone who's read and left nice comments, I really do appreciate it :)

Gianna "Gigi" Elanor Bishop-Deluca made her entrance into the world on February 14th at 12:32 am weighing 7 pounds and 6 ounces. Maya and Carina had fallen in love with the little girl from the very moment she was placed on Maya's chest and she had become their entire world ever since.

Adjusting to life as a family of three had been more difficult than either one of them imagined. The first few days after Gigi's birth Maya was sore, exhausted, and extremely hormonal. It was hard for her to get around and take care of Gigi and it made her feel helpless. She cried more in the first month than she probably had in her entire life, but every time she looked at her daughter she was overwhelmed and grateful. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Gigi was a cuddly and affectionate baby. She loved being held by both of her moms and slept best on either of their chests. Her favorite time was nursing which was a huge relief for them; Carina was able to nurse Gigi as well so she could help with the feedings. Not only did it take the burden off of Maya having to feed around the clock, but it was also great bonding time for the two of them. 

Maya's favorite time of the day was watching Carina feed Gigi. Maya would stand in the door of the nursery and watch them with the biggest smile on her face. Carina would be in the rocking chair, usually singing or talking to Gigi in Italian, rubbing her thumb back and forth across her chubby cheeks. Sometimes Gigi would be mesmerized by her mama, and other times she would be fast asleep. Nothing could compare to the way Maya felt watching her wife with their baby and she fell in love all over again each time.

/

_Three Months_

By the time Gianna was three months old, the Bishop-Deluca household had started to get into a regular routine. Gigi hadn't started sleeping through the night yet, but she had an easy enough sleep pattern where Maya and Carina were able to make some sort of schedule of when to get up with her. 

Gigi was starting to develop into her own little person. Her dark blonde hair had started forming little curls and her eyes were now more of a hazel than blue like when she was born. She could recognize her mommies faces and would smile whenever they would talk to her. She still loved being held and hated when the attention was off of her and would fuss to make sure everyone in the room knew. 

Near the end of the third month, Carina had gone back to work part time. The first day she left, she cried so hard she almost made herself sick. She knew it was silly, but after spending almost the last four months exclusively with her wife and daughter, she didn't want to be anywhere else. She facetimed Maya several times during her shift and although Maya assured her they were fine, she was equally as miserable without her wife.

Being away made everything that much more special. Every time Carina came home, the little baby was overjoyed to see her mama and would spend the rest of the night in her arms. It gave Carina a chance to nurse and bond with her more and she cherished every moment they spent together. 

/

_Six Months_

Gigi had become attached to her two new favorite people: her Aunt Vic and her six year old cousin Pru. Maya would often take Gigi to the station and if she wasn't hanging onto her mommy, she'd be with her Aunt Vic. She was obsessed with Vic and Vic was equally infatuated with her. Vic would walk around the station carrying Gigi in the moby or just holding her in her arms and Gigi would eagerly take in her surroundings. Vic was the only person Gigi would go to and was often the go to person to nap on.

Pru had instantly fallen in love with Gigi the first time she held her and they had been inseparable ever since. Everything Pru did made Gigi laugh and the infant would try her hardest to keep up with her big cousin. If Pru was singing and dancing along to music, Gigi would be right there next to her trying to do the same. Wherever Pru went, Gigi wanted to be there too.

Watching Gigi and Pru together made Maya and Carina's heart melt, and they couldn't believe they were halfway to having a one year old. They loved watching her grow every day but they knew they would never get this time back again, and they had to admit that seeing Gigi with another child made both of their baby fever rise.

Maya surprised herself by bringing up having another baby, especially so soon. They had been so adamant on only having one, and now they were discussing having another. A lot of long conversations were had on the topic, and while they had both agreed that having another one was now on the table, it wasn't anywhere in the near future. For now they would enjoy being Gigi's mommies, and watching her with Pru.

/

_Nine Months_

Gigi had become quite the animated little girl. She was trying her hardest to talk and Maya and Carina had been trying to get her to say her first words. Both of them had attempted to coax her to say either mama or mommy, but no such luck. Then, on a random Saturday afternoon, it happened.

Gigi was sitting in her high chair babbling away while Carina played with her and Maya stood at the island, cutting up fruit. Carina had been attempting to get Gigi to say mama again, but was only met with more baby babbles and giggles.

Maya was chopping absentmindedly when she accidentally sliced her thumb, sending the remaining pieces of strawberry to the  ground.

"Fuck!" Maya exclaimed as she sucked the bleeding skin.

"Fuck!" Gigi repeated from her high chair.

Carina gasped and Maya looked over as Gigi repeated the word to herself again, giggling as if she knew what she was doing. 

"Maya!" Carina scolded, looking between the baby and her wife. 

"Fuck!" Gigi said again animatedly as she kicked her legs against her high chair, completely oblivious to what was going on.

Maya bit back a laugh as Carina shot her a warning glare. Carina wanted so badly to be mad, but Gigi looked and sounded so cute she couldn't help but laugh with her wife. 

They had both been so eagerly trying to get Gigi to say either of their names, so of course her first word would be something completely far from it. There was a never a dull moment with their little girl.

/

_ One Year _

Maya and Carina had gone all out, throwing a big party to celebrate Gigi's first birthday. Their house was decorated and full of all of their friends and family. Neither of them ever really had parties growing up, and they had discussed early on that they didn't want the same for their daughter. They wanted her to be able to enjoy and celebrate a day that was all about her and not worry about anything else.

The day was full of games, presents, and laughter. Their little girl was so loved and it was more than they could have ever hoped for. Gigi spent the day playing with her cousins and her aunts and uncles and she was over the moon. Maya and Carina took pictures and videos until their camera rolls were full, and they were so excited to have these memories to share with her when she got older.

Gigi also took her first real steps that day, going from just toddling around to walking from one side of their living room to the other. She was officially on the go and it was hitting Maya and Carina that they no longer had a baby and now had a toddler that had grown up right before their eyes.

When it came time to sing happy birthday, both Maya and Carina were already a mess and they cried as they helped Gigi blow out her candles. At the beginning of their relationship, neither one of them even wanted children and now here they were on their daughter's first birthday and they couldn't imagine a life without her. 

At the end of the night, they laid in bed with their now one year old fast asleep between them, and were overwhelmed with sheer happiness. All of their fears they had at the beginning of Maya's pregnancy were no longer at the forefront and they knew as long as Gigi had them and they had each other that was all that mattered. Gigi was happy, healthy, and loved, and they couldn't ask for anything more.


End file.
